overtourism

American  

[oh-ver-toor-iz-uhm] / ˌoʊ vərˈtʊər ɪz əm /

noun

1. a situation in which too many tourists travel to a popular destination, causing the place to suffer negative environmental, economic, and sociocultural impacts.

   From packed viewpoints to water shortages, Santorini is the most visible face of overtourism in the Greek islands.

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Etymology

Origin of overtourism

First recorded in 1990–95; over- ( def. ) + tourism ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overtourism

But for the country’s counterparts—Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain—tourism is the focus of protests by locals because overtourism is driving up the cost of living and crowding them out of their homes.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

But complaints about badly-behaved tourists are sparking debate about overtourism.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

But today, the most visited tourist attraction in Spain has become a symbol of Europe’s overtourism problem.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

The city is so synonymous with overtourism that some travelers have sworn off it completely—yet even amid cruise ship bans and entry fees for day-trippers, crowds keep coming.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

A cherry blossom festival boasting a highly Instagrammable view of Mount Fuji was cancelled this year after residents complained of overtourism.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

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